U.S. patent number 4,715,515 [Application Number 06/884,148] was granted by the patent office on 1987-12-29 for hopper and metering mechanism structure for an agricultural implement.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Deere & Company. Invention is credited to Ronald M. Steilen.
United States Patent |
4,715,515 |
Steilen |
December 29, 1987 |
Hopper and metering mechanism structure for an agricultural
implement
Abstract
Hopper and meter support structure for easy removal of hopper
and metering mechanisms to facilitate converting a complete grain
drill or similar implement from one row spacing to another. A
molded plastic hopper rests on transversely extending beam members
of the grain drill main frame and includes lower flanges supported
on two lower tubular beam members. The metering mechanism includes
flanges which are sandwiched between the tubular beams and the
hopper flanges, and these components are held in position by angles
which are removeably attached to the lower beams. By simply
removing the angles, the entire hopper and meter support structure
may be lifted from the beam members.
Inventors: |
Steilen; Ronald M. (Ankeny,
IA) |
Assignee: |
Deere & Company (Moline,
IL)
|
Family
ID: |
25384058 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/884,148 |
Filed: |
July 10, 1986 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/143; 111/77;
222/609 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01C
15/006 (20130101); A01C 7/06 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A01C
15/00 (20060101); A01C 7/00 (20060101); A01C
7/06 (20060101); B67D 005/60 () |
Field of
Search: |
;222/143,129,173,460,608-610,613-616,623-625,462
;111/73,77,80,85,34,52 ;206/503,504 ;220/1B,1V,5A,23.2,72,855
;296/182,3 ;215/6 ;105/247,248,254,406.1 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Rolla; Joseph J.
Assistant Examiner: Shaver; Kevin P.
Claims
I claim:
1. Hopper structure for a seeding and/or fertilizing implement
having a frame, said hopper structure comprising:
first and second support surfaces extending parallel and spaced
with respect to each other to define an elongated opening
therebetween;
meter support structure having outwardly directed support flanges
for support on the respective support surfaces;
a flexible tank having lower sidewalls terminating in lower,
outwardly extending tank flanges; and
means releasably sandwiching the outwardly directed support flanges
between the outwardly extending tank flanges and the support
surfaces, said means releasably sandwiching including an elongated
flat portion and means securing the flat portion against the
generally parallel to one of the tank flanges independently of
fasteners passing through said one of the flanges and the
corresponding support flange.
2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means
releasably connecting comprises an angle.
3. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein the meter support
structure comprises an elongated panel having a generally U-shaped
configuration with upright sidelegs, said outwardly directed
flanges connected to the upper ends of the side legs for cradling
the support panel in the elongated opening between the first and
second support surfaces.
4. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein the implement
frame includes first and second elongated and parallel extending
beams, and wherein said first and second support surfaces comprise
the upper surfaces of the beams.
5. The invention as set forth in claim 4 wherein the first and
second beams include upright surfaces extending downwardly from the
upper surfaces; and wherein the means releasably connecting
comprises an angle having a top flange defining the elongated flat
portion, and an upright flange, and the means securing the flat
portion against the tank flange includes fastener means securing
the upright flange to the upright beam surface for urging the top
flange of the angle against the tank flange.
6. The invention as set forth in claim 4 further comprising third
and fourth elongated beams located above and outwardly of the first
and second beams, and wherein the lower sidewalls include upper
portions freely resting on the respective third and fourth
elongated beams.
7. The invention as set forth in claim 6 wherein the lower
sidewalls comprise ribbed sections having lower ends connected to
the outwardly extending tank flanges and an upper end resting on
the third and fourth beams.
8. Hopper structure for a seeding and/or fertilizing implement
having a frame, said hopper structure comprising:
first and second support surfaces extending parallel and spaced
with respect to each other to define an elongated opening
therebetween;
a flexible tank having lower sidewalls terminating in lower,
outwardly extending tank flanges;
means releasably connecting the outwardly extending tank flanges to
the support surfaces; and
wherein a one of the lower sidewalls is substantially vertical and
includes a reinforced lower sidewall portion having an upwardly
directed supporting portion; and a second tank having an inner
sidewall with a downwardly directed surface supported on the
upwardly directed supporting portion, and an outer sidewall
supported by the implement frame, said inner and outer sidewalls of
the second tank defining a second elongated opening, first and
second metering structures, and means releasably securing the
metering structure to the frame and support surfaces for support
within the first and second elongated openings, respectively.
9. The invention as set forth in claim 8 including an outwardly
directed flange connected to the lower end of the outer sidewall of
the second tank, a beam fixed to the implement frame offset from
and parallel to the first and second support surfaces and means for
releasably clamping the outwardly directed flange of the outer
sidewall to the beam.
10. The invention as set forth in claim 8 wherein the first
metering structure includes a panel having panel flanges secured
between the tank flange and the first and second support
surfaces.
11. In a dispensing implement for towing forwardly over a field and
for depositing granular material such as seed and/or fertilizer in
the soil, comprising:
beam structure including first and second fore-and-aft spaced
transverse beams defining an open area therebetween;
a third transverse beam located rearwardly and above the first
beam;
a fourth transverse beam located forwardly and above the second
beam;
a transversely extending flexible hopper having aft and forward
walls supported on the third and fourth beams, respectively, and
extending downwardly and inwardly therefrom to outwardly projecting
flanges supported on the first and second beams;
a transversely extending meter panel having outwardly directed
panel flanges supported on the first and second beams in said open
area; and
removable clamp means supported adjacent to and releasably securing
the projecting flanges and the panel flanges to the first and
second beams independently of fasteners passing through said
projecting flanges, said panel flanges being sandwiched between the
first and second beams, and the projecting flanges by said clamp
means, said clamp means when removed for permitting the flexible
hopper to be lifted from the first and second beams for easy access
to and removal of the meter panel.
12. The dispensing implement as set forth in claim 11 wherein the
removable clamp means comprises an angle having a top angle flange
projecting over one of the hopper flanges and an upright flange,
and means for securing the upright flange to a side of the
corresponding one of the first and second beams.
13. The dispensing implement as set forth in claim 11 wherein the
forward and aft walls include ribbed lower portions bridging the
areas between the first and third, and the second and fourth
beams.
14. In a dispensing implement having a transversely extending lower
main frame assembly for towing forwardly over a field and for
depositing granular material in the soil, said dispensing implement
comprising: upper frame structure including end panels connected to
and extending upwardly from the lower main frame assembly, first
and second transverse beams extending between the end panels and
defining a transversely extending open area opening downwardly
between said beams; third and fourth transverse beams supported
above, and rearwardly and forwardly of respectively, the first and
second beams; a transversely extending flexible tank having a lower
flanged portion with a downwardly opening area defining a material
discharge portion; a transversely extending meter support cradled
between the first and second beams; means releasably supporting the
lower flanged portion of the tank on the first and second beams
with the discharge portion adjacent the transversely extending open
area and over the meter support; and wherein said flexible tank
includes transversely extending fore-and-aft spaced intermediate
portions freely resting on the respective third and fourth beams
and wherein the meter support freely rests on the first and second
beams independently of fasteners passing through the meter support
and the means releasably supporting includes means for sandwiching
the meter support between said first and second beams and the lower
flanged portion.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to agricultural implements,
and more specifically to seeding implements such as grain drills or
the like which include a grain or fertilizer box and a metering
structure for metering material from the box for deposit in the
soil.
On many current seeding machines, such as the John Deere Series
8000 Grain Drills, the grain box and grain metering structure form
an assembly which is held together by numerous bolts and becomes a
major part of the machine main frame. At times it becomes necessary
to remove the grain tank components or the metering mechanism for
such things as maintenance and repair and for changing row
spacings. Because of the numerous components and large number of
bolts involved in the assembling and disassembling of the unit,
such operations become very time-consuming and difficult. For
example, when it becomes necessary to remove a meter insert panel
to change row spacings, a series of bolts connected between front
and rear flange on the panel and connected to front and rear grain
box sheets must be removed. Thereafter the panel is removed from
the grain drill and a new panel is inserted. The bolts have to be
reconnected between the flanges and the grain box sheets. Rather
than changing a panel, the owner may retain a given row spacing
even through he feels a different spacing may be more advantageous.
Since the grain tank is a main component of the mainframe, removing
or replacing the tank becomes very difficult. The metal tanks are
also subject to corrosion, particularly when a fertilizer tank is
utilized, and replacement of corroded tank components is further
hindered by corroded fasteners and the like.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an
improved grain box and metering mechanism system for a grain drill
or the like. It is a further object to provide such a system which
facilitates easy removal of tank and metering mechanisms.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an
improved tank and mounting arrangement for an agricultural
implement. It is a further object to provide such an arrangement
with a plastic tank wherein study support is provided with a
minimal of fasteners or other connecting hardware.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an
improved tank arrangement for a grain drill or similar implement
wherein a single tank or a pair of nestled tanks may be selective
attached to the framework of the drill with a minimal number of
attaching points. It is a further object to provide such an
arrangement wherein a pair of plastic tanks are utilized and one of
the plastic tanks gains vertical support from the adjacent plastic
tank. It is still another object to provide such an arrangement
with an improved mounting structure located at the lower end of the
tanks.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the above objects, flexible, transversely
extending hopper structure is supported on transversely extending
beam structure forming a portion of the main frame of a grain drill
or similar implement. The tank structure includes reinforced
inclined lower wall sections which terminate in outwardly directed
flanges which rest on top of a pair of fore-and-aft spaced tubular
beams. A meter support panel is cradled between the beams and
includes outwardly turned flanges which are sandwiched between the
tank flanges and the top of the beams. Angles are bolted to the
faces of the beams and include horizontal portions bearing against
the top of the hopper flanges to secure the hopper and the meter
support panel in position on the frame. Additional transversely
extending beam structure supports the central portion of the
flexible hoppers near the upper end of the inclined lower wall
section for additional support without fixed connectors. The meter
support panel is slotted to receive a plurality of meters which are
bolted to the bottom of the panel. To remove the hopper and/or
meter structure, the bolts are simply removed from the angles and
the hopper is lifted from the supportive beams. The meter support
panel may then be lifted out and replaced with a support panel
having a different slot arrangement so that row spacing may be
easily changed when necessary.
In a second embodiment, two flexible tanks are supported with
similar flange mounting structures. The second tank can hold
material such as fertilizer while the first tank contains grain.
The first tank includes a generally upright sidewall adjacent the
second tank which is reinforced and which includes an offset
portion defining inclined ledge structure on which one side of the
second tank rests for support. The side of the second hopper
includes a lower inward wall extending downwardly from the offset
portion to a vertical flange which is slotted and which simply
slides over the bolt which holds the angle mounting the first tank
to the central transversely extending beam structure. A third
transversely extending beam supports the lower outermost wall of
the second tank in a manner similar to the support arrangement for
the flanges of the first tank. The same transversely extending beam
structure may be utilized for the main frame of the implement
regardless of whether one or two flexible hoppers are utilized
thereby reducing the number of components necessary to provide the
second tank option. Ribbing on the lower walls of the flexible tank
provide sturdy lower support between the first and second sets of
transversely extending beam structure. The structure provides easy
removal of the hopper and metering mechanisms which in turn
facilitates converting a complete machine from one row spacing to
another by simply removing one meter panel and installing another
with the desired row spacing.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon
reading the following detailed description in view of the
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of a grain drill constructed in accordance
with the teachings of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the flexible hopper utilized
with the grain drill of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view partially in section showing the
structure of the flexible hopper and the meter support panel with
meters attached thereto.
FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing an alternate
embodiment wherein two flexible tanks are supported side-by-side
for containing two different granular materials.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of the meter
support panel structure utilized with the grain drill hopper of
FIGS. 3 & 4 with the meters removed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a grain drill 10 having a
main frame 12 adapted for towing by hitch structure 14 forwardly
over a field where seed and/or fertilizer is to be deposited. A
plurality of opener assemblies 16 are connected by drawbar
structure 18 to the main frame 12 for opening furrows in the soil
to deposit seed and/or fertilizer therein. Seed meters 22 are
transversely spaced along the frame 12 below flexible plastic tank
or hopper structure 24 to meter granular material from the hopper
structure through seed tubes 26 to the opener assembly 16. Press
wheel assemblies 30 are mounted on the main frame 12 behind the
opener assemblies 16 for firming the soil over the deposited
material.
The main frame 12 includes lower and upper frame structure 36 and
38, respectively. The upper frame structure 38 includes a plurality
of tansversely extending beam members 42, 44, 46 and 48. The beams
42-48 extend substantially the entire transverse distance of the
main frame 12 and are connected at their outermost ends to a pair
of end panels 50 supported by and extending upwardly from the lower
frame structure 36. The beams 42-48 are supported parallel to each
other with the lower beams 42 and 44 having upper beam surfaces 52
and 54, respectively, lying substantially in the same horizontal
plane. The beam 42 includes a vertical, rearwardly facing surface
56, and the beam 44 includes a vertical, forwardly facing surface
58. The beams 42 and 44 are spaced fore-and-aft near the lower
portion of the upper frame structure 38 to define a transversely
extending open area 60 therebetween.
The beam 46 is supported rearwardly of and above the beam 42, and
the beam 48 is supported forwardly of and above the beam 44. The
beams 46 and 48, which are substantially mere images of each other,
are tubular and include inwardly and downwardly extending support
structures or surfaces 66 and 68, respectively. Below the support
surfaces 66 and 68, the beams 46 and 48 are generally rectangular
in cross section (FIG. 3). Narrow projections 72 and 74 extend
upwardly from the support surfaces 66 and 68 and include short
inwardly directed vertical walls 76 and 78, respectively, to help
stabilize and confine the flexible tank 24 which freely rests on
the surfaces 66 and 68.
The tank or hopper structure 24 includes an upper, generally
dome-shaped portion 82, rear and front intermediate portions 84 and
86 connected to inwardly and downwardly inclined lower walls 92 and
94, respectively. Horizontal flanges 96 and 98 extending
substantially the entire width of the hopper structure 24 project
rearwardly and forwardly from the lower inclined walls 92 and 94,
respectively, and define a downwardly opening area 99. End walls
100 close the outermost ends of the hopper structure 24.
The lower walls 92 and 94 are deeply ribbed at locations 102 and
104, respectively, to provide reinforcement to the lower portion of
the hopper structure 24 and provide a sturdy bridge between the
beam pairs 42, 46 and 44, 48.
The hopper structure 24 is assembled onto the upper frame structure
36 with the horizontal flanges 96 and 98 resting on the
corresponding top surfaces 52 and 54 of the beams 42 and 44. The
upper ends of the ribbed walls 92 and 94 rest on the support
structures 66 and 68 of the beams 46 and 48. The upper termination
of the ribs 102 and 104 define short vertical wall sectons in the
intermediate portions 84 and 86, respectively. These wall sections
are located inwardly adjacent the vertical walls 76 and 78 of the
narrow projections 72 and 74 on the beams 46 and 48.
An upwardly opening, U-shaped meter support panel 110 is cradled in
the open area 60 between the beams 42 and 44 and includes
rearwardly and forwardly directed panel flanges 112 and 114 which
rest on the top surfaces 52 and 54 of the beams 42 and 44. The
flanges 112 and 114 are sandwiched between the flanges 96 and 98
and the corresponding top surfaces 52 and 54. To firmly secure the
panel 110 and the bottom of the hopper structure 24, angles 116 and
118 are connected to the beams 42 and 44 and bear against the
flanges 96 and 98. The angle 116 includes an upright flange 122
connected by a plurality of transversely spaced self-tapping screws
124 to the upper portion of the vertical surface 56. A forwardly
extending horizontal flange 126 bears against the top surface of
the flange 96. The angle 118 includes an upright flange 132
connected by self-tapping screws 134 to the upper portion of the
vertical surface 58 of the beam 44. The angle 118 includes a
horizontal rearwardly extending flange 136 which bears against the
top surface of the flange 98.
The support panel 110 includes a plurality of transversely spaced
slots 142 (FIG. 5) adapted for opening into the upper ends of the
seed meters 22 which are attached to the lower portion of the panel
110 by bolts 144 which extent through the meters and through holes
145 in angled corner sections 146 of the panels 110.
The inclined lower walls 92 and 94 completely bridge the area
between the beams 42, 44, 46 and 48. The upper dome-shaped portion
82 includes side walls 152 and 154 extending upwardly and slightly
inwardly from the top portion of the lower walls 92 and 94. The
dome-shaped portion 82 terminates in a lid receiving portion 156
opening upwardly to receive granular material therethrough. The lid
receiving portin 156 defines a rectangular opening extending
substantially the length of the tank 24 and having a generally
S-shaped cross section for strength and for receiving a mating lid
160. The lid 160 has inwardly directed lips 162 which enter the
channel area indicated generally at 164 defined by the lower
portion of the cross section of the lip receiving portion 56. The
lower portions of the hopper end walls 100 include arcuate rimmed
portions extending between the flanges 96 and 98 and adapted to
rest on corresponding structure on the end panels 50.
In the alternate embodiment of FIG. 4, the hopper structure,
indicated as 24', includes two hoppers 170 and 172 having a
configuration the outermost boundaries of which conforms generally
to the shape of the hopper structure 24 shown in FIG. 3 so that the
dual hopper structure shown in FIG. 4 may be utilized with
generally the same frame arrangement as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The
portions of the hopper 172 which are substantially identical to the
portions of the hopper of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 are
indicated by the same reference numerals with a' attached. The
arrangement of these similar elements therefore will not be
described in complete detail again. The tank 172, however, has
approximately one-half the capacity of the hopper structure 24
shown in FIG. 3 and includes an inner upright wall 176 located
above the meter structure 22. The upper portion of the wall 176 is
generally planar except for a channel area 178 which defines the
continuation fo the channel area 164'. The lower portion of the
wall 176 is ribbed at 180 and extends downwardly to a rearwardly
turned flange 182 which is secured between the flange 126 of the
angle 116 over the panel flange 112 in the manner described for the
embodiment of FIG. 3. The top of the ribbed portion 180 is angled
upwardly int he forward direction to define a supporting portion
184 which extends rearwardly and downwardly in a transverse plane
from the upright upper section of the inner wall 176.
The rear hopper 170 includes an inner wall 186, the upper portion
of which is generally the mirror image of the adjacent inner wall
176 of the hopper 172 and includes a channel 188 which abuts
against the channel 178. Below the channel 188, the wall 186
extends downwardly parallel to and offset slightly rearwardly of
the wall 176. At location 192 the inner wall 186 angles rearwardly
and downwardly to define a generally planar transverse angled
surface 194 which rests on the supporting portion 184 of the ribbed
lower portion 180 of wall 176. Adjacent the surface 194, the inner
wall 186 includes a lower portion 196 which extends downwardly and
slightly rearwardly terminating in a vertical slotted flange 202.
The slots are spaced and dimensioned to ride over the shanks of the
screws 124. After the flange 202 is positioned over the screws 124,
the screws are tightened so that the screw heads secure the flange
and thereby the lower portion of the inner wall 186 against the
angle 116. A single set of screws 124 therefore secures the lower
portions of the walls 176 and 186 as well as the meter support
panel 110 in position on the central transversely extending beam
42.
The hopper 170 includes a rear sidewall 206 angling downwardly and
rearwardly from the channel 188 to an intermediate portion 208
adapted to extend around the narrow projection 72 of the transverse
beam 46. The downwardly and forwardly inclined section 212 connects
to an upright rear wall section 214 which terminates at its lower
end in an rearwardly directed flange 218.
To support the flange 218 and therefore the aft portion of the
hopper 170, a fifth transversely extending beam member 222 is
connected between the end panels 50 by brackets 224 and bolts 226.
The beam 224 is located rearwardly adjacent the beam 42 and
includes a top face 228 which extends parallel to but slightly
below the level of the top face of the beam 42. The flange 218 of
the hopper 170 is fixed against the top surface 228 by an angle
232. The angle 232 includes a top flange 234 which bears against
the hopper flange 218, and an upright flange 236 which is connected
by self-tapping screws 238 to the aft face of the beam 222 to
thereby tightly secure the top flange 234 against the flange 218. A
transversely extending meter panel 242 includes a rear flange 244
which is sandwiched between the flange 218 and the top surface 228.
The panel extends downwardly and forwardly from the beam 222 to an
upwardly extending portion 246 which bears against the aft face of
the beam 42 and is connected thereto by transversely spaced screws
248. A plurality of fertilizer meters 250 are transversely spaced
along the panel 246 to delivery granular material from the hopper
170 through hoses 252 to the ground.
In the preferrred embodiment, the upper portion of the hoppers 170
and 172 assumes a configuration generally identical to the hopper
structure 24 shown in FIG. 3, and the same lid 160 may be utilized
to cover the upwardly portions of the hoppers 170 and 172. The lip
162 of the lid 160 enters the channel areas 164' and 188 to prevent
the lid from blowing off and to direct moisture away from the top
openings in the hoppers. Vertical support for the front wall of the
rear hopper 170 is achieved primarily by means of the angled
surface 194 resting on the supporting portion 184.
The hopper 170 may be easily removed by loosening or disconnecting
the angle 232 and lifting the hopper 170 so that the vertical
slotted flange 202 slides out around the shank of the screws 124.
The fertilizer meter structure 250 may then be removed by removing
the screws 248 which secure the forward face of the panel 246 to
the aft face of the transverse beam 42. The hopper 172 and meter
structure 22 may be removed in the manner similar to that described
for the embodiment of FIG. 3. The innermost portions of the hoppers
170 and 172 bear against each other at the channel locations 178
and 188 and also at the angled portions 184 and 194 to provide
fore-and-aft stability to the tank support arrangement.
Having described the preferred embodiment, it will be apparent that
modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the
invention as defined in the accompanying claims.
* * * * *